Tampa Bay Rays

After a disappointing home stand where the Rays went 4-6, the promotion of Wil Myers was supposed to give the Rays offense a lift as they went into a seven game stretch over six games against AL East opponents. Today started the road trip with a double header in Boston, with the Rays falling in Game One. Game Two featured Jake Odorizzi and Felix Doubront, and just like you'd expect, was a pitching duel through-and-through. Doubront would leave the game with his fifth quality start in six outings. He limited the Rays to three hits and surprisingly walked no one. Meanwhile, the Odor was working a fine change up and gave the Rays what they needed from a spot start in a double header: quality pitching, eating innings. His 5.2 innings may not sound like much, but were valuable after Archer's weak start was cut even shorter by a three hour rain delay. Odorizzi limited the Red Sox to one run on a Daniel Nava home run over the low fence in right field. He only worked two strikeouts, but had the hitters on the ropes for much of the night before he was replaced by Alex Torres. Unsurprisingly, Torres continued his dominant pitching ways. His 2.1 innings featured three base runners and only one strikeout, but likewise held the Red Sox to limited opportunities. He allowed no runs and gave the Rays their chance. The slumping Rays offense -- which entered the night tied with the Tigers for the most productive offense in baseball, according to wRC+ at 112 -- looked anemic. They gathered only four hits this evening, scoring one run on a solo shot by Kelly Johnson in the ninth. Doubront had retired seventeen straight batters when he was lifted after eight innings for closer Andrew Bailey. Bailey missed his first pitch high and outside to Kelly Johnson at the start of the ninth. THe second pitch was slightly lower to reach the strikezone, but the same general location, and Johnson bounced it off the bullpen dugout in right field to tie the game 1-1. With Zobrist on first and two outs, Longoria came to the plate to battle Bailey. Zorilla found his opportunity to take second with an excellent jump, but had to return on a foul by Longoria -- happenstance, but a difference maker. Zobrist never made it to second after Longoria grounded to the left side, and the Sox turned a quick force at second base. Joel Peralta got the nod from Joe Maddon to hold the 1-1 lead. He walked Daniel Nava, bringing up former Rays cult favorite Jonny Gomes. Peralta had been struggling to keep the fastball down in the first at bat. Facing Gomes, Peralta took a little heat off his fastball and put one in the top of the strike zone. Gomes crushed it. The ball soared up the left field line, and if it stayed fair it was a towering home run. Gomes dropped his bat and watched intently. Gone. Then he took off sprinting around the bases, punting his helmet after passing third, and leaping onto home plate like an Olympic long jumper. And it cut deep. Watch at your own risk. Your browser does not support iframes. Game Notes: - You might think Odorizzi made a case for earning the starting slot currently reserved for Colome on Saturday. Colome is coming off two starts of limited plate appearances, and is presumably out of rhythm; however, Colome has strong groundball tendancies that are a wiser play in Yankee Stadium. If you were watching today, you'll know Odorizzi is of the flyball pitcher mold. - Wil Myers notched his first major league hit, a single to left field that showed professional patience. He timed his easy swing on an offspeed pitch away. Promising for a guy who might struggle with contact for the next year or so. - Andrew Bailey entered with a 1-0 lead and spoiled it. Doubront shut out the Rays for eight innings over 93 pitches. Of course Bailey is awarded the Win, right? - The Rays have dropped to seven games behind Boston in the AL East standings. The Rays are now 2-9 against the Red Sox. You do the math.

BOSTON (AP) — For all their struggles over the years against Tampa Bay, the Boston Red Sox may never have had such a wait for a victory over the pesky Rays. View full post on Yahoo! Sports – MLB – Tampa Bay Rays News

Wil Myers picked up his first major league base hit with a single to left in his first at bat of the second game of today’s double-header. Here is the hit as called by Andy Freed and Dave Wills (you can see the full video below)…. And here is the full video… © The Professor for Rays Index, 2013. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags:

David Ortiz drove in three runs and the Boston Red Sox opened a day-night doubleheader by beating the Tampa Bay Rays 5-1 Tuesday in a game delayed nearly three hours by rain. Read more David Ortiz news

BOSTON -- For the second time this season, rain marred a matchup at Fenway Park between the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays. This time, there was actually a final result, as the Sox endured a rain delay of nearly three hours before securing a 5-1 victory in the makeup of a game that was postponed by the wet stuff April 12. Boston received five solid innings from Alfredo Aceves before the rain delay and three hits and three runs from Jacoby Ellsbury in improving to 8-2 this season against their American League East rivals. Read more Jacoby Ellsbury news

In 30.2 innings on the year, he had a 5.58 ERA. His FIP was only worse at 6.87. He struck out a mediocre amount of batters (6.46 per nine) while walking far too many (5.58/9). He featured a very average groundball rate (45%) and surrendered far too many home runs. In only two starts had he survived six innings, and he had allowed one run or less in only two starts as well. While his fastball has solid velocity, it doesn't have a ton of movement and is hurled with little command. A writer for SB Nation's Red Sox blog said he "throws hard, mostly straight, and is certifiably insane." This is the same pitcher as the one who has, for two straight starts, baffled Rays' hitters. Alfredo Aceves may not have pitched a no-hitter in either of his starts, but in 11 innings against the Rays this year, he has held them to two runs off of seven hits (and seven walks). Alfredo Aceves is the very definition of a back of the rotation starter, yet for two straight starts, he has breezed through what was once a very potent Rays' offense. After all the excitement and rejoicing over the promotion of Wil Myers, this game served as a harsh reminder that right now the Rays are not playing quality baseball. Losers of seven of their past nine, the Rays cannot find any type of rhythm. Their offense, which was stellar in the early goings of the seasons, is in a slump. The starting pitching has only continued upon a season trend of short starts and little success. Only the bullpen is in strong form at this moment, but a dominant bullpen isn't very useful in non-competitive games. The Red Sox struck early as they have been wont to do this year. After the Rays quickly went three up and three down in the top of the first inning, Jacoby Ellsbury took a high fastball off the Green Monster for a double. A Shane Victorino fly-ball advanced Ellsbury to third, and then Dustin Pedroia hit a deep sacrifice fly to score the runner. In the top of the second inning, the Rays promptly responded with a run of their own. A wild Alfredo Aceves walked Evan Longoria and James Loney. Wil Myers, stepping up to the plate for the first time in his major league career, eagerly swung at the first pitch, a fastball off the outer edge, and hit a pop fly to center. Luke Scott, ahead in the count, doubled to right field to score a run. After Molina drew a walk (!), Yunel Escobar grounded into a double play to end the threat. Chris Archer struggled with his command in the second inning, issuing three walks but escaping unharmed thanks to a timely double play ball. In the third inning, he allowed back to back singles to Ellsbury and Victorino with no one out. David Ortiz then took advantage of a toned down shift, hitting a grounder into the hole in right field to score both runners (Victorino had stolen second base). An amped up Chris Archer settled down a little, retiring the next six batters in a row. While the Rays' offense was going down quietly, the Red Sox refused to let Archer find a lengthy groove, taking advantage of a throwing error by James Loney in the fifth to put a runner on. The play seemed to knock Archer out of his rhythm as he proceeded to allow a walk and a single, which scored a run. Following a strikeout of Mike Napoli, Archer walked Daniel Nava, loading the bases. Maddon emerged from the dugout to bring in Josh Lueke, but the heavens opened and the game was delayed. Nearly three hours later, Josh Lueke returned to the mound with the bases loaded. After falling behind 2-0, he challenged Jarrod Saltalamacchia with three straight fastballs to strike him out. In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Red Sox would get to Lueke with two outs. Ellsbury and Victorino hit consecutive triples to right field, scoring a run in the process. The score was now 5-1, with Boston in the lead. It should be noted that Myers looked rather sluggish, mishandled the ball, and made a weak throw. Given the rather positive reports about his defense, hopefully this can be coughed up to

Joe is back with his postgame thoughts…. A way-too-soft throw to a cutoff man and looking like a minor leaguer at the plate highlighted savior right fielder Will Myers’ heralded debut this afternoon/evening in Boston. Joe is so tempted to blast the kid for swinging at the first pitch after Sox starter Alfredo Aceves walked Evan Longoria and James Loney to lead off the second inning. But since Joe Maddon doesn’t believe in old school baseball, you can’t blame bundle-of-nerves Myers for coming out swinging — and popping out. Sadly, Myers fit in beautifully with the rest of his comrades in the ___ loss — lifeless. The Rays’ bats were largely dead, and Chris Archer’s five-hit, five-walk performance through 4 2/3 was dreadful. If there’s such a thing as desperate for a win on June 18, tonight’s second half of the doubleheader fells like it falls in that category. © Joe Rays Fan for Rays Index, 2013. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags: Joe Rays Fan

As Neil deMaus tweeted, "this should be all kinds of entertaining."Breaking news out of California: the City of San Jose is suing MLB over its failure to relocate the A's. Sure, the A's already have their hands full with all sorts of other crap, but this lawsuit is much more about MLB and its monopoly over where its franchises can play.I've written before about MLB's sacred anti-trust exemption and how it allows the league to pretty much defy basic economics and do whetever the heck it wants with its franchises. But now, this lawsuit threatens to thrusting that antitrust exemption back under the legal microscope:The lawsuit claims Major League Baseball and its commissioner, Bud Selig, have violated state and federal laws regarding unfair business practices and anticompetitive conduct. It also challenges the exemption to antitrust laws that the U.S. Supreme Court upheld for Major League Baseball in 1922."This action arises from the blatant conspiracy by Major League Baseball to prevent the Athletics Baseball Club from moving to San Jose," the suit says. "This action challenges - and seeks to remedy - defendants' violation of state laws and use of the illegal cartel that results from these agreements to eliminate competition in the playing of games in the San Francisco Bay Area."For all the Rays fans thinking Tampa Bay's Stadium Saga may end up in court, keep a close eye on all this action in that other Bay Area...MLB has a lot on the line.

Wil Myers is now officially a big leaguer and had his first Major League at bat, popping up on the first pitch. But maybe the most telling part of the at bat happened as Myers walked up to the plate. He yawned. Twice. Here’s his first at bat as called by Dave Wills and Andy Freed… © The Professor for Rays Index, 2013. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags: